Investors were largely disappointed at all five bank codes. Their decline was also one of the main factors that created a downward move in the market. Large-cap banks such as the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BID), Vietinbank (CTG) and Military Bank (MBB), lost between 0.76 and 2.8 per cent.

Gas stocks also fell further from Thursday. PetroVietnam Gas JSC (GAS), Petrovietnam Drilling & Well Service Corporation (PVD) and PetroVietnam Transportation Corporation (PVT) were down 1.61 per cent, 3.81 per cent and 2.73 per cent, respectively.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index lost 1.69 per cent to conclude at 78.21 points. Of all stocks, the number of gainers was half the number of losers by 59 to 136.

On the northern market, a total of 38 million shares were traded, worth VND419.5 billion ($19.4 million).

The HNX30 Index fell by 1.92 per cent to finish at 146.26 points, and losers outnumbered advancers by 22 to four.